The students will "top out" a 12-foot-high steel structure they built as part of their class. They will put the final steel beam, which is topped by a miniature, plastic evergreen tree and American flag, in place, signaling the completion of the project.

Erecting the steel structure allows the students to put the theoretical knowledge they gained in the classroom to practical use. The "topping out" ceremony is a tradition in the construction industry: it is meant to honor the efforts of carpenters and ironworkers, and ensures good luck for the building. All Construction Tech students are required to take the Steel Construction course, which is designed to give students a basic understanding of structural steel design, detailing, fabrication and erection. Construction Tech students have been building a steel structure as a class project since the early 1960s. The project was designed by the late Dr. Leonard Spiegel, who served as a professor and department chair.